There's a lot of MSG (monosodium glutamate; ผงชูรส pong-chuu-rot) in thailand, especially in street food. Just curious what your general feelings of MSG are?

I know there has been topics about this in the past debating whether it's harmful or not, but I'm wondering what side, if any, is in the majority.

As for myself, I don't actively try to avoid it at all, although when I recently discovered my gf has been adding it to her own cooking I did request her to break that habit. I guess that means I worry a little bit. I've done some research on it recently and I'm still on the fence, but simply based on the fact that it's so debatable I'll have to keep worrying.

Let us know how you feel about this substance.

If a meal is well prepared, you don't need to add anything...

But I do eat a lot of msg, it is part of the "spice" added to food in Thailand.

Along with sweet, sour, bitter, salty and metalic, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) elicits a taste called umami.

We have receptors for glutamine, an amino acid and that's what MSG is, a Glutamate molecule linked with a sodium ion to make a salt.

There has been a lot of buzz over the years but no good science to prove any of the claims made against MSG.

The first thing I learned to say in Thai was: do you use MSG

MSG makes my mouth terribly dry and gives me heart palpitations... not aroi!!

Never experienced anything bad from it myself.

MSG causes me dehydration, when I have alot of it. I suppose it's like many things a little is okay.

I never really cared either way until I eat my wife's coooking. She prepare Thai and Chinese dishes without MSG and they tasted so much fresher and clean. So, if it's on the food I don't care, but I know it will always taste better without.

MSG has NO purpose in the human diet. What good is it?

MSG has NO purpose in the human diet. What good is it?

It enhances the flavours of the different ingredients. Maybe not in a great way. I believe a little salt and pepper is all thats generally required, obviously depending on the dish. Although if people use cheap ingredients...... This maybe the reason many Chinese restaurants use it in England and mainland Europe.

redrus

MSG has NO purpose in the human diet. What good is it?

It enhances the flavours of the different ingredients. Maybe not in a great way. I believe a little salt and pepper is all thats generally required, obviously depending on the dish. Although if people use cheap ingredients...... This maybe the reason many Chinese restaurants use it in England and mainland Europe.

redrus

Also makes you thirsty, that way you keep getting drinks.

Hmmm... I can't say I have even thought about MSG in Thai food before. I avoid Chinese food because it's greasy and gluggy and MSG probably contributes to it, but I'm not sure. I can't say I've noticed anything MSG related in the Thai food I eat though.